Trees Frame the Stars
by Aliya Montreaux
Summary: Michonne could have sworn his cheeks got the tiniest bit red and she felt guilty a second time. High school AU: Mainly Richonne, but many other ships make an appearance. Not my characters, but my scenarios and dialogue. First fic alert!
1. Whatever

I've been writing this in my head for a while now so, fair warning, this story will be a long one. There's a lot that needs to play out even from the first chapter so bare with this novice here.

* * *

Rick tapped his worn out cowboy boot furiously on the shiny white tiles. His eyes were starting to glaze over from staring at the principal's office door for so long.

The receptionist had abandoned his post to go print out Rick and his little brother's schedules, leaving Rick with nothing to do but to sit in the green scratchy armchair and stare at the door.

He had forgotten what it felt like, being at school. The cool wide halls lined with navy lockers, bright classrooms filled with rows of graffitied desks. You could almost smell the anxiety in the air. Today was the first day back for him and his brother, but for everyone else, school had been a stark reality for two months.

Two months. Enough time to memorize your way to classes, enough time to find a group of friends, enough time to claim where your group eats lunch...enough time to mourn.

Rick would have been fine with this prospect of being two months behind if it meant that his best friend and girlfriend would be by his side. But of course, during the summer the school board decided to screw up his senior year and redistrict his friends to East Linden High.

Although Rick wasn't exactly on the strongest of terms with his friends, the whole integration would have been a lot easier with Shane and Lori by his side. Now the stereotypical image of eating lunch alone in a restroom stall flashed in his mind.

The aggressive rap music coming out of his little brother's earphones snapped Rick out of his thoughts. He shook is head at the gangling sophomore, lounging comfortably on the identical armchair across the room. Rick wondering how the hell Jeff hadn't managed to burst his eardrums yet.

Rick and Jeff rose from their armchairs as the door to the principal's office swung open, Principal Greene and Rick's mom stepped out.

Rick's mom turned to Mr. Greene, "Thanks for being so understanding Hershel."

Rick was taken aback to see the principal, mostly due to his resemblance to Santa Claus. The last time Rick had seen Mr. Greene he was cleanly shaved and was absent of a ponytail.

"Of course Lena, don't worry about your boys, I'll be keeping my eye on them."

Rick and Jeff exchanged apprehensive looks across the room. "This is an important time for them," continued Mr. Greene, "it's vital they don't miss any more school."

"Absolutely." said Rick's mom just as the receptionist arrived to give out Rick and Jeff's passes and schedules.

After a record time of just five minutes of that famous southern small talk, the Grimes walked back out into the hall.

Rick's mom fumbled in her bag, looking for car keys, "I'll see you boys at home alright? If something happens, call your dad and he'll come and get you."

"We'll be fine," assured Rick, kissing their mother on the cheek, "See you at home."

Waving to their mother as she left the school, Rick felt the reality of his situation sink in.

Jeff lightly punched him in the arm, "Why do you look like someone shat in your cereal this morning?"

"Watch your mouth, man."

"Fine. Why do you look like someone defecated in your cereal?"

"You're such an idiot."

Rick sighed. "Well let's see, my girlfriend and best friend are at a different school. I have about thirty more scholarships to apply for before the end of the month and I'm two months behind in all my classes. That's a quick list for you."

Jeff dramatically rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm behind too! And don't act like Daryl isn't going to hang out with you this year." He paused, contemplating his next words, "Besides, it's not like you and Lori were exactly lovey-dovey the last time y'all were together."

Rick blinked, recognizing the weight of his words. "You heard us?"

"Well duh! I'm surprised the whole town didn't."

Rick couldn't help but agree. He thought back to his shouting match with Lori a few weeks ago, it was the worst they had ever fought.

Rick looked at Jeff questionably, "You never said anything."

"If you wanted to talk to me you would have." Jeff said, hitting him in the face with the same words he had said to Lori.

"Whatever," Rick glanced down at his watch,"The bell is gonna ring, we should get to class." Side by side they walked down the hall and split into their separate classrooms.


	2. How Scandalous

Michonne walked into the classroom, blinded by the sunlight from the large windows to her left. Anytime before lunch was way too early for her sleep deprived eyes to handle the sun.

She slid her purple backpack to the floor with a thunk as she got to her lab station, Michonne was always one of the firsts to get to AP Chem, since her last class was only two rooms over.

AP Chemistry was easy enough at King County High. She remembered hearing horror stories about the harsh grader who taught it at her old school in New York, but here, Mr. Horvath was nice and forever patient with his chem students.

Michonne pulled out her lab notebook and planner, scribbling tonight's homework from the board at the front of the room.

She wasn't sure if she missed the city anymore, it seemed sort of haunted now. Besides, she had found her groove here.

Michonne remembered what had surprised her most when she moved down south was, first the accents, then the scenery, the surrounding nature. The greens of the Georgian flora and fauna was a stark contrast to smoke fumes and reflective windows of bustling NYC. It was so much of a difference, Michonne had laid on the floor of her new bedroom, paralyzed with home-sickness.

But when she had learned that her cardboard box stuffed house was without wifi, she had been forced to interact with strangers, trying to find the nearest cafe with a signal. The hunt had left her with a sort of fondness for the country. The bugs could go to hell though.

She didn't realize how often she would be needing to escape her house, how vital talking to strangers had become.

Michonne's thoughts were pushed aside as her lab partners, Maggie and Glenn, walked towards the lab station.

Maggie reached the station first, she plopped down directly across Michonne. Maggie placed both hands on the black lab station quite dramatically and said, "Michonne, will you please tell Glenn that seven hours of sleep is definitely not a good or healthy amount."

"It's good for me!" demanded Glenn sliding into the seat next to her, "Junior year, that would have been heaven."

"No, heaven would be like twelve hours."

"Twelve hours!? Do you go into a coma every night?"

Michonne grinned as she watched the good-natured bickering. Maggie and Glenn had been getting closer and closer since the start of the year. Sadly, Maggie had some college boyfriend so nothing had aspired between the two.

Still, Michonne was starting to feel like a third-wheeler, but she didn't mind.

"Well I got like five hours last night," Michonne pulled a hand over her tired face, "God, all these scholarship applications are going to kill me."

Maggie solemnly raised a hand, "I hear that."

"Well, just wait," said Glenn grinning, "Second semester, I'll be skipping so much they'll call me John Cena." He moved his hand back and forth in front of his face, "You can't see me!"

Maggie rolled her eyes, "You're such an idiot."

Glenn pointed at Michonne in unity as she laughed.

The classroom had finished filling up as students were finding their seats and pulling out their notebooks. Just as the second bell rang, signaling the start of the period, an unfamiliar kid walked in, holding a pass.

The class continued to chatter as the boy sidled up to Mr. Horvath, pointing to soothing on a piece of paper - his schedule probably.

Maggie turned to see what Michonne was staring at and quickly spun back around. "Oh my gosh, it's Rick Grimes!"

Now it was Glenn's chance to turn around and stare, "Finally, he's back."

Michonne gave the pair a confused look, "What do you mean 'He's back', who is he?"

"Oh right, you weren't here." Glenn realized, in a hushed whisper he said, "His grandfather died over the summer and Rick hasn't been at school ever since."

Michonne frowned at Glenn's discretion, "Wow, how scandalous."

"His grandfather was a really good man," Maggie explained, "I knew him from church, everyone loved him. Their family took it pretty hard."

"Yeah, it was a big deal." concluded Glenn.

"Oh," said Michonne, feeling guilty all of a sudden, "That really sucks." She looked back up at Rick Grimes, who was being patted on the shoulder by Mr. Horvath.

Maggie reached across the lab station and held Michonne's hand.

She opened her mouth to speak but Glenn interrupted.

"You're not gonna start preaching from the God gospel now, are you farm girl?"

Michonne laughed loudly as Maggie smacked his arm.

Maggie pointed a finger at him, "Don't test _this_ farm girl, I'll have you converted in no time."

Glenn put up his hands in mock-surrender and everyone surrendered to laughs.

Mr. Horvath cleared his throat and the lab station jumped, just now realizing the teacher's presence. Rick Grimes stood quite awkwardly at Horvath's side, nodding to Glenn and Maggie.

"Since you kids have an opened seat you wouldn't mind if Rick joined your group, would you?"

"Not at all!" said Maggie diplomatically, Horvath nodded and walked back to the front of the room.

Rick dropped his backpack down and held out a hand to Michonne, "Rick Grimes."

She had to smile at that proper declaration of his name, "Hey, I'm Michonne." His hand was warm and dry, she pulled back a little too quickly.

Michonne smiled again, "I'm sorry, but is it like a southern tradition to say both your first and last name?" In the corner of her eye, she saw Maggie hide a smile.

Rick grinned, "Nah, my dad's a cop, just runs in the family."

Michonne could have sworn his cheeks got the tiniest bit red and she felt guilty a second time. Rick sat and pulled out a brand new notebook. "Ah..." was all she said.

Glenn smiled brightly at Rick, "So how's it been, man?".

As if hitting the brick wall of realization he stuttered, "I mean - it probably hasn't been good - I - sorry - Well - who knows - it could have been - I mean you know - that's why I asked - Ow!" Glenn's hand reached down to rub his foot and Maggie rolled her eyes.

"What he means to say is, how are you getting along with everything?"

Michonne cringed internally, she sympathized wholeheartedly with Rick. She knew first-hand other people's reactions to deaths close to you. When people tried to tip toe around her, it was never subtle and felt more like a giant stomping around.

Rick smiled at the both of them, "It's been okay, but all these applications are gonna be the death of me."

Glenn, seeming to have recovered, said: "Michonne was just saying the same!"

Rick turned to say something to Michonne, but Mr. Horvath cleared his throat and waved a hand to the slide show projected behind him. He turned off the lights and the class became silent.

"And the hand cramps begin," said Glenn grimly.


	3. Who would you rather have?

Rick massaged his hand as the bell rang for fourth period. Horvath was really no joke when it came to those PowerPoint notes.

The noise grew as the chairs were being pulled out and backpacks zipped.

Glenn tapped Rick's arm, "What class do you have next?"

"Umm..." Rick pulled his schedule from his back pocket and scanned his eyes to fourth period, "US History."

"With Mr. Jones?" asked Michonne, waving to Maggie as she exited, "I have him too."

Glenn flung his backpack over his shoulder and said, "Hey, if you want you can find me at lunch." Rick smiled. The vision of him eating alone in the restroom stall faded from his sight, "Thanks man, but I'm gonna go talk to some of my teachers then. I'm _a little_ behind."

Glenn nodded and headed out, "Tomorrow then. Take good care of him Michonne, he's precious cargo."

Michonne grinned, "Get out of here Glenn." The silence of unfamiliarity sunk between Rick and Michonne in Glenn's departure.

Rick motioned to her, "Lead the way."

As they walked down the hall to their fourth period Michonne explained the various teaching methods of Mr. Jones, the best ways to study for his tests, how he ever graded essays, and so on.

At first glance Rick didn't know what to make of her, she was honestly a stunning sight. Her skin caught the best aspects of the school lighting, something no one should be able to pull off.

But Rick decided he liked her a lot as she reenacted the way Mr. Jones would apparently wheeze in between his long lectures. "It's like he forgets when to breath!"

They walked down the crowded staircase, Rick was pushed into Michonne roughly and he held her arms steadying them both. Rick couldn't help appreciate her toned arms.

"Sorry!" said the guy behind them, "No problem," Michonne responded.

Once they fought their way through the staircase, they continued to join the stream of students making their way down the hall.

Rick cleared his throat, "You're new here, right? How do you like King County?"

"It's a pretty small town, but everything here is really pretty."

Rick was surprised to hear she was new to the town, not just the high school. "Oh, so you're like really new. I thought you were from Terminus Academy, they closed last year and there was a bunch of redistricting." Rick looked at all the unfamiliar faces passing them in the halls.

"Yeah, I'm actually from New York." She smiled at Rick's ever widening eyes. He supposed it explained some things, like her more stylish way of dressing, which kind of made Rick feel like Clarke Kent from Smallville.

"New York City?" he asked and Michonne nodded, then laughed at Rick's astonished face. She had a pretty laugh.

"Wow." He sighed, "Well the only things I know about New York City are pizza, Statue of Liberty, and Broadway."

"So I'm guessing you lived here all your life then?"

"Yes, ma'm."

Michonne smiled again, "A true country boy."

Rick was about to respond but they had apparently made it to their class, it was gradually filling up as students greeted each other.

"I better talk to the teacher then," Rick said.

Michonne nodded and walked over to her seat in the back next to Andrea Harrison, who was staring at Rick with her mouth slightly opened. _Geez._ He didn't realize his return would be that much of a shock.

If people had been looking at him in the halls like that, he hadn't noticed.

After Mr. Jones summarized what Rick had missed and when to come in to make it up, he breathily told Rick to take a seat anywhere. Rick just found the closest empty seat and pulled out his notebook for yet another note-taking session.

After learning about how bad of a general George Washington was, Rick found his way to fifth period with ease and suddenly it was lunch time.

Rick decided to test out his locker combination when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He turned to find Daryl Dixon smiling at him slyly.

"Hey man!" They quickly embraced, "How's it been, Dixon?"

"Fine," his voice always gruff, then Daryl suddenly looked somber, "Sorry I didn't say it before, but it sucks about your Grandad."

Rick looked down. He knew everyone was thinking about it when they saw him, but they hadn't said anything all day, until now. Rick wanted to slap himself when he felt his throat clench up.

"I still remember when he found out about ol'Ass kicker."

Rick laughed loudly as he recalled the motorcycle Daryl and him tried to resemble last year. It would have been all good and well if they hadn't done it inside and on Rick's mother's prized rug.

"When he found us I think my life flashed before my eyes."

"And were you disappointed?" teased Daryl, catching a light punch from Rick.

"Do you remember what he said though?"

"Richard." Daryl's voiced dropped impossibly lower, "There's nowhere big enough to hide this rug, so we'll burn it and blame it on the hillbillies across the way." Rick laughed harder.

"The hillbillies had serious hell to pay." reminisced Daryl fondly.

"Yeah and now I have to drive twenty miles faster to get out of my driveway if I don't want to be egged." said Rick.

"Come on, who would you rather have on your bad side? Your mom or the hillbillies?"

"The hillbillies," they said in unison. Daryl grinned, "You headed to lunch?"

"Nah, I still have some more teachers to see. There's a lot to catch up on."

"Alright man," Daryl held out his hand to Rick, "Well, I'm craving something with cheese, so I'll see ya'."

"Bye, Dixon."

Rick sighed and looked down at his phone. Then did a double take. Lori had called.


End file.
